13. Olivia

CHAPTER 13

OLIVIA

I wander the streets in a daze, my heart feeling like it's been ripped out and stomped on. How did everything go so wrong so fast? One minute I am feeling more alive, more me than I ever have in my life, and the next I'm back in my boring old world, alone and lost.

And there's no charming minotaur Kalen.

What's the point of even trying anymore? I'm Olivia Reed, perpetual screw-up when it comes to anything outside of books and catalogs. I should just go home, curl up with a history text, and forget any of this ever happened.

Lost in my misery, and staring at the ground as I walk, I literally bump right into someone.

"Oof!" I stumble back, ready to mumble an apology and keep walking, when I realize who it is. "Mia?"

Zoe's friend – and my acquaintance - gives me a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes, her usually vibrant energy somewhat subdued. "Olivia! Hey you, crazy, well, bumping into you out here. How's your weekend going?"

I open my mouth, then close it again. How do I even begin to explain? "It's...um, fine? Yours?" I manage, just managing to meet her eyes .

"By the way, what are you wearing?"

Ugg...

"It's all a rather long story."

"I bet."

"How are you? What are you doing out here anyhow?" I just want to change the subject – off of me.

Mia's smile falters for a moment before she catches herself. "Not exactly as super awesome as I'd like. My cat's been missing for almost a week now. I thought she'd come home on her own, but so far nothing. So now I'm putting up posters everywhere I can think of ..." She trails off, biting her lip.

"Oh," I say, feeling a twinge of guilt for being so focused on my own problems, though they are sort of significant, objectively speaking I believe. "I'm sorry to hear that. That must be really tough."

Mia nods, her cheerful facade cracking slightly. "Yeah, it's ... it's been a bit rough. Mary Poppins is my little fur-baby, ya know? I'm really starting to kinda worry."

"Mary Poppins?" I laugh, momentarily distracted from my own misery.

A genuine smile flickers across Mia's face. "Or Poppy. Poppy cat. Superpoppilicious ... She's kinda magical I think ... so."

I guess so...

"Plus, I think that movie's totally rad. Have you seen it?" Even though she is obviously affected by her missing pet, Mia is energetic as always.

If only I were so resilient.

"I will have to put it on my list." I try to sound upbeat.

"Hey can I help you put up some posters if you want? It's the least I can do." I quickly add.

"Really? You're sure it's not too much trouble?"

"No, it's fine," I say, surprising myself. "I'm just walking home to an empty apartment. I'd be happy for the distraction for a bit. Believe me. "

Boy, do I need a distraction.

Mia's face lights up with a genuine smile this time. "Oh, thank you so much, Olivia. That's so sweet of you! I see why Zoe likes you so much.

She does?

I feel a warmth spread in my chest, despite the events of the evening.

As we start walking, Mia hands me a small stack of posters. I glance down at the picture of a fluffy calico cat with bright green eyes. "She's beautiful," I murmur.

"Isn't she?" Mia says proudly. "I just hope she's okay."

"I bet she turns up," I say trying to be encouraging.

"Hey speaking of Zoe," Mia says casually as we round a corner, "and I guess speaking of both friends and pets that are M.I. A., still no word, right? Are we still going with the tropical cruise theory?"

I freeze, my heart suddenly racing. Zoe. In all the chaos, I'd almost forgotten about her absence ... which has been starting to look more like a disappearance. Suddenly, a crazy thought hits me – the human Kalen mentioned ... the one on the leash ... what if ...?

No. That's ridiculous. Besides, Zoe would never put up with a leash ... would she?

"Olivia?" Mia's voice snaps me back to reality. "You okay? Helllooo."

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "Sorry, I just ... no, I haven't heard from her. But I'm sure she's fine. Probably just... taking some time for herself, you know? Our boss was a real prick to her that day."

Mia nods, but she doesn't look convinced. "You mean Douchebag Dan? Yeah, maybe ..."

Before I can respond, a blur of movement catches my eye. "Mia, look!" I point to a nearby bush where I swear, I just saw a flash of calico fur disappear .

"Oh my god, Mary Poppins?" Mia's voice is full of excitement and hope as she rushes forward.

"Quick!" Mia hisses. "Go around the other side and block her escape!"

I nod, adrenaline surging as I dash around the bushes.

It would be so cool if we found her cat!

Suddenly, two blurs of fur burst out - one calico, one tabby. My breath catches.

Oh my god. No ...

It's a coincidence Liv. Please.

Hope blooms in my chest, fragile but insistent. I want to laugh at the absurdity. Here I am, chasing cats when my whole world's been turned upside down. But what if it is Othrix?

Yeah, cause he's the only tabby in the known universe.

Shush you. It's possible ...

"This way!" I call out, surprising myself by taking charge. We race after the felines, who dart inside a perimeter fence around a run-down university building ahead.

Perfect.

But whatever, after everything I have been through in the last twenty-four hours, I'm definitely not going to let a little "No trespassing sign" stop me. Vaguely I am aware that I barely feel the need to make a list, before I push open the gap between the gate and squeeze through after the cats.

"You are in big trouble when mamma gets you home, Miss Poppikins!" Mia squeezes right in behind me.

"Mary Poppins?" Mia calls in a more inviting soft voice as we follow the felines through a basement door that is ajar. "Here kitty, kitty..."

I scan the room, my librarian's eye for detail kicking in despite the circumstances.

"What the hell is this building anyhow?"

"Ah the university wants to turn it into student housing, I think. It's been like this forever. "

As we creep in, only a little moonlight plays though a broken window.

"No freakin' way," I stammer half aloud and half to myself. There on a big wall over an old fireplace is the now familiar seal. My heart leaps.

"What is it?" she calls, as she enters the room behind me."

But there are no cats to be seen.

Then everything happens at once.

I turn and see Mia running her hands over a detailed relief carved in an adjacent wall...

But before I have a chance to register the possibilities, she is already reading aloud ...

'Hear the call of the wild ... all who yearn to be free,'"

"Mia, wait!"

But it's too late. That familiar wind picks up, and the last thing I see before everything goes white is Mia's shocked expression as we lock eyes ...